Husband charged with illegally obtaining $1M ticket

Mikala Fields was awarded a $1 million prize from the N.C. Education Lottery on July 2. On Wednesday, the Oak Island Police Department charged her husband, Sean Mewherter with larceny. Contributed photo

From staff reports

Published: Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 5:25 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 5:25 p.m.

The husband of a Brunswick Community College student who recently claimed $1 million from the lottery has been arrested and charged with illegally obtaining the ticket, according to a news release from the N.C. Education Lottery.

The Oak Island Police Department, working with security officials from the lottery, charged Sean Mewherter of Wilmington on Wednesday with larceny by employee and possession of stolen goods worth more than $100,000.

The charges result from an investigation into the award of a $1 million prize to Mewherter's wife, Mikala Fields of Wilmington. The prize was awarded to Fields on July 2, after she presented a winning 20X The Money ticket to lottery officials, the news release said.

Following the announcement of the award, the NCEL was contacted by Mewherter's employer, Kangaroo Express, and an additional investigation began into how Fields obtained the winning ticket. The investigation revealed that Mewherter illegally obtained the ticket while he was working at the Kangaroo Express on Yaupon Drive in Oak Island, according to the news release.

The investigation is continuing but as of Wednesday no charges had been filed against Fields.

"We are determined to take all steps possible to ensure that the security and integrity of the lottery and its games will not be compromised," said Alice Garland, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. "We appreciate the vigilance of our partner, Kangaroo Express, in monitoring the sale of lottery tickets."

The lottery is seeking recovery of the prize money paid to Fields. Top prize winners in the 20X The Money game have the option of claiming their prize as a 20-year annuity, or as a lump sum. Fields chose the $600,000 lump sum and received a check for $408,003 after taxes were withheld.

<p>The husband of a Brunswick Community College student who recently claimed $1 million from the lottery has been arrested and charged with illegally obtaining the ticket, according to a news release from the N.C. Education Lottery.</p><p>The Oak Island Police Department, working with security officials from the lottery, charged Sean Mewherter of Wilmington on Wednesday with larceny by employee and possession of stolen goods worth more than $100,000.</p><p>The charges result from an investigation into the award of a $1 million prize to Mewherter's wife, Mikala Fields of Wilmington. The prize was awarded to Fields on July 2, after she presented a winning 20X The Money ticket to lottery officials, the news release said.</p><p>Following the announcement of the award, the NCEL was contacted by Mewherter's employer, Kangaroo Express, and an additional investigation began into how Fields obtained the winning ticket. The investigation revealed that Mewherter illegally obtained the ticket while he was working at the Kangaroo Express on Yaupon Drive in Oak Island, according to the news release.</p><p>The investigation is continuing but as of Wednesday no charges had been filed against Fields.</p><p>"We are determined to take all steps possible to ensure that the security and integrity of the lottery and its games will not be compromised," said Alice Garland, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. "We appreciate the vigilance of our partner, Kangaroo Express, in monitoring the sale of lottery tickets."</p><p>The lottery is seeking recovery of the prize money paid to Fields. Top prize winners in the 20X The Money game have the option of claiming their prize as a 20-year annuity, or as a lump sum. Fields chose the $600,000 lump sum and received a check for $408,003 after taxes were withheld.</p><p>Metro desk: 343-2378</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @StarNewsOnline</p>